


Now His Watch Begins

by shelny18



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV), Robin Hood (BBC 2006)
Genre: The Night's Watch
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-12
Updated: 2014-11-12
Packaged: 2018-02-25 04:06:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,789
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2607875
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shelny18/pseuds/shelny18
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Pyp is arrested for stealing flour with Will and Luke Scarlett, his only chance of escaping the noose is the Night's Watch.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Now His Watch Begins

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ApolloSupreme](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ApolloSupreme/gifts).



> So Benedict Giddens, who is the third flour thief in the first episode of Robin Hood, is played by the same actor as Pyp. That got my friend to request this.

It was with whimpers of fear that Pyp was dragged in front of Guy of Gisbourne and chained to the wall.

"I didn't do it, I swear," he cried, and the man in front of him rolled his eyes.

"At least come up with something original to say if you're going to beg and plead," he sighed. "We know you didn't steal the flour on your own. Who helped you? Give me names, or we torture them out of you. Your choice."

"It was just me," Pyp insisted. "Honest."

"Today is not a day to make me angry," Guy warned. "I lost my castle today. I'm looking for someone to hit."

"It was just me," he repeated. "No-one else."

"Wrong answer."

Moments later Pyp's screams echoed through the castle.

Up in his rooms, the Sheriff of Harrenhal grit his teeth as the noise entered.

"Gisbourne!" he shouted loudly, storming out of the room and down to the dungeons. "Gisbourne!"

"Yes my lord?"

"What is that infernal racket?"

"The boy we caught stealing food. He won't tell us who helped him."

Taking a deep breath, the Sheriff of the Riverlands entered the room. "Right," he snapped, glaring at the terrified boy hanging limply from the wall. "Either you tell us who helped you, or we cut off your hand. If that doesn't work, the other will go too, and so on and so on, with parts being cut off until eventually there's not much left and we hang you. Your choice."

"If I tell you, will you show me mercy?" Pyp whispered.

"Yes, yes, of course." The Sheriff waved his hand nonchalantly as he spoke. "Now get on with it.

"It was the Scarlett boys," Pyp admitted. "Will and Luke."

"Gisbourne."

"Sending men now, sir."

"Very well." The Sheriff waved over at Pyp. "Put him back in his cell to await the others."

"Wait, you promised me mercy!" Pyp yelled as the gaoler unchained him and started to drag him away. "Mercy!"

"I don't remember the word mercy crossing my lips," the Sheriff replied. "Do you, Gisbourne?"

"No sir."

The Sheriff waited until Pyp was out of the room and the door shut before speaking again. "Once you've got all of them, make sure Tully finds out. With any luck he'll do something stupid, and then Riverrun will be yours again. Permanently."

"And this time it won't stay Riverrun," Gisbourne promised. "It's about time the family name had land again."

"Yes, name it whatever you want, just get it back."

* * *

Robin Tully of Riverrun hammered on the dungeon door, glaring at the gaoler as he opened it.

"I want to see all the men from Riverrun," he snapped, pushing past him, his companion close behind. "Now."

"Robin, what can we do?" Much asked once they were alone in a room waiting for the prisoners.

"I don't know, but somehow I will free them," his old master promised.

The door opened then, and the three terrified boys were pushed in.

"Give the man your names," the gaoler said with a smirk.

The youngest of the three wouldn't look up from his feet, but the one next to him stared Robin straight in the eye. "Will and Luke Scarlett."

"Pypar," Pyp whispered, stood a little apart from the others.

"What are your crimes?" Robin asked.

"Trying to survive," Will Scarlett replied.

"They stole flour," the gaoler interjected.

The youngest looked up at Robin. "Are you here to rescue us? Dad said you'd get us out of here somehow."

"Luke, shut up," Will hissed, but Robin shook his head at him.

"No, let the boy speak. Your father was right. I'm doing what I can. You, what is to be their punishment?"

The gaoler made a hanging motion from behind them and Robin's heart fell.

"Hanging? For a small theft? You cannot be serious!" Much gasped, and that was when Pyp's courage broke.

"No, please, no! He promised me mercy!"

Robin stopped the gaoler as he went to hit the boy. "What are you talking about?" he asked him."

"The Sheriff. He promised me mercy if I said who'd done it with me, but then afterwards he went and said he'd never done that. Please, m'lord, you have to help me!"

"I'm doing what I can," Robin repeated. "I shall talk to the Sheriff, try and get your punishment changed. I promise."

As they were leaving the prison, Robin looked over at Much thoughtfully. "That meeting of the nobles this morning. Did I see a black brother there?"

"I believe so, master."

"Good. Find him, I want a word."

* * *

"Lord Tully," Yoren greeted as he entered the room. "What can I do for you?"

"Some men from my village are prisoners at Harrenhal. One begged for mercy of any sort but the Sheriff won't listen. I was wondering if you'd be willing to offer them the black."

"A life in the Night's Watch ain't for everyone," Yoren warned.

"Maybe not," Robin agreed, "but it's life. They're to hang at dawn. Not my punishment, I assure you."

"Aye, I can offer," the black brother said finally. "We're always in need o' men. How old are they?"

"Old enough to fight, young enough not to die stupidly like this. Thank you for this. I am in your debt."

Yoren shook his head. "Think nowt of it."

* * *

"Yoren of the Night's Watch requests an audience, sir," a guard said, and the Sheriff rolled his eyes.

"Oh what does the flea-ridden scumbag want this time?" he grumbled. "Men probably. It's always men." The Sheriff put on a Northern accent. "'We're a bunch of crows who like to complain and fuck each other instead of women so never have enough recruits.'" He waved his hand. "Very well, show him in."

"Lord Sheriff," Yoren said politely.

"Yorick, or whatever your name is. What do you want?"

"I've just been down in your dungeons. Three of the men down there, the ones from Riverrun, have requested to join the Night's Watch. You know the law as well as I, Sheriff. If a man wants to join the Watch instead of face his punishment, then he is allowed to, and once he is in the Watch all previous crimes are forgotten."

"Funny, I don't remember that being offered as an option."

Yoren waited patiently for an answer, raising one eyebrow when the Sheriff didn't reply. "Well?" he asked finally. "Do I get my men?"

"Do I look like I'm about to give you three prisoners I plan on using to make a noble betray me? Hmm? A clue: no. So go on, get out."

* * *

The following morning dawned brighter than Yoren would have liked and it was with a dark look on his face that he watched the square fill up.

"Bastard," he spat, spitting out of the window as well for good measure.

Suddenly there was a banging on his door and Yoren jumped.

"My Lord Yoren, the Sheriff requests your presence in the courtyard for the proceedings."

"For the proceedings," Yoren muttered angrily. "Fine," he shouted, voice bitter. "I'll be there."

As he left the castle Yoren nodded at Robin Tully, the resigned-looking noble nodding back.

"Sorry," Yoren said as Robin approached, leading him slightly away from the others stood near them. "I did my best, but that cold-blooded son of a bitch won't let 'em go. Wants to use them to make you rebel against him instead."

"Bastard," Robin hissed. "He should not be using them in his battle against me."

"It's poor bastards like them who always end up in these wars," Yoren sighed. "Look, if you choose to do anything, I'll help. Once I'm at the wall, me and them boys will be safe."

"And I an outlaw," Robin replied. "It is tempting though. From the forest I can better help people from all the villages and towns, not just Riverrun." He thought for a moment. "If anything happens, get the boys out of here."

"Aye, I will."

"Thank you my friend."

Yoren stood in silence as he watched first the Sheriff then Robin speak, could see the reluctance in every inch of Robin's body as he condemned his own men to the gallows. He knew the exact moment Robin broke, saw something in his eyes snap as the men dropped and Dan Scarlett started to shout to his dying boys.

"People of Nottingham!" Robin shouted, and Yoren nodded approvingly, drawing his sword as he watched Robin shoot an arrow through one of the ropes. "These men have committed no crime worth more than a spell in the stocks." As he spoke to the people Yoren made his way down to the gallows, running through the only guard who dared to try and stop him as he pulled the rescued man to his feet and yanked the bag off his head, turning to help the second who Robin had just cut down. "Will you tolerate this injustice? I, for one, will not!"

"Fancy bugger," Yoren muttered as two arrows shot at the same time freed the remaining two men. "And a fucking show-off. Well, come on you lazy buggers!" he shouted once all four were on their feet again. "Fight or die!"

* * *

"I thought there were only three," Yoren snapped once they were safely away from the city, glaring over at Robin.

"There were, but this idiot decided he was going to pretend to be from Riverrun in an attempt to escape."

"It seemed a decent plan at the time," Allan protested, but they all ignored him.

"Well, I'll be off for the wall now. Good luck my friend, and may the gods be with you."

"Aye, you too," Robin replied, clapping Yoren on the shoulder. "And you are all free to go with him if you so wish."

"I'd rather stay and fight with you," Will Scarlett said quietly, and Allan-A-Dale nodded.

"Yeah, me too."

"I'm sticking with me dad," Luke told them all.

"I was thinking we could go to Maidenpool, stay with my sister Annie," Dan added.

"Godspeed then, the both of you." Robin looked at Pyp. "What about you Pyp?"

"I'll take the wall," Pyp said with a small nod at Yoren. "It's honourable, and I ain't going up against Gisbourne again."

"Then we'll be off," Yoren cut in with quickly, "before them bastards find us. Good luck Robin Tully."

"You too Yoren."

The three groups turned to leave at the same time, none of them looking back as they all hurried to safety.

"Well lad," Yoren said gruffly, glancing at the boy beside him. "It's just you and me now, and we've a way to go to reach the wall. Journey's not getting any shorter. Come on, let's get to it."


End file.
